The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Charlotte Malone didn't intend to stumble into an adventure when she accidentally attends an auction and buys a mysterious trunk from 1912 that was welded shut by the owner. When she opens the trunk and discovers a perfectly preserved wedding dress, she sets out to discover the story behind the dress. On her journey, her world is turned upside down only to be righted and put together in a more glorious way than human minds could concoct. Charlotte's journey brings her closer to the God she committed her life to when she was a teen and knits her into the family she never had.

I loved this book, since it had so many unexpected twists in it. This isn't a book that you crack open and instantly know what is going to happen. The story is quite unique, reminding us that the Bridegroom is Christ and that the church will be His bride. How there are times when we aren't sure what the ending will be, but can trust that God has our best interest at heart. Charlotte shows us that we all have to trust a little more and that love is worth it, even if it means opening ourselves up to be hurt. Everyone wants to have a loving family. Rachel Hauck reminds readers that there is a Father that will love you no matter what.

Stand By Me

Kat Davies is a new Christian on fire for the Lord, wanting to make a difference in the world around her. When her family disowns her due to her new faith leading her in another direction then the one they had planned for her, Kat forms a group of friends who become like family. When they start attending the SouledOut church, where they meet Avis Douglass, Kat is immediately drawn to this strong woman of the faith. But, Avis and her family are going through a rough time and Avis doesn't always feel like reaching out to her new neighbors.

I thought this book was a wonderful example of how vital it is to have new converts in the church, with their zeal and passion. How sometimes we can get wrapped up in our own lives and almost miss the opportunities the Lord gives us to reach out to those who are hurting around us. I haven't read the books in the Yada Yada Prayer Group series, but I still enjoyed this one, since it stands alone well. I would highly recommend it to both those who are fans of Neta Jackson's novels and those who haven't been introduced yet. I like series that can be read out of sequence, like this one.

Beauty for Ashes

Carrie Daly is a young woman left widowed by the Civil War. When Griff Rutledge blows into town, she is instantly enamored by the mysterious man even though she is keeping company with another. When things don't turn out as she planned, Carrie is left wondering what the Lord could have in store for her life. It is only through surrender that she finds peace and joy, realizing that the secret to a happy life is to want the one you have.

This book is the second in the Hickory Ridge series, so I would recommend that you read the first book before starting this one. While "Beauty for Ashes" can stand alone, I would imagine reading them in order explains more about some of the secondary characters and even more about Carrie. That said, I still enjoyed the story. It had just enough twists to be interesting and not over done. The story being set in a sort of depression in the 1870's, so it is something that a lot of us can relate to today. Even though times are tough, the message of the story is one of hope, which is a good reminder for us.
Reviewed for booksneeze.com

Cheddar biscuits

Cheddar biscuits
Preheat your oven to 400 F
2 1/2 cups flour
4 t. baking powder
1/2 cup butter
3/4 t salt
Mix the dry ingredients together and then cut the butter into the mixture.
Add
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
and stir until combined. Be sure not to over stir.
Cook for 10 minutes, then pull out and brush with
4 T butter
1 t oregano
3/4 t garlic salt
then return to oven for 8 more minutes.

This recipe is suppose to be based off Red Lobster's biscuits. Andrew and I agree that they are even better, since they aren't near as salty.:D The only trouble with this recipe is that you can eat half a batch when they are fresh out of the oven!

Heart of Gold by Robin Lee Hatcher

It's the year 1864 and the nation is torn apart by the Civil War. Shannon Adair is a young Southern belle who's minister father feels the Lord calling them to move to Idaho territory to pastor a recently built church in one of the many towns that sprung up due to the gold rush. Even though the South is no longer what it once was, moving to the West is a drastic change to the life of balls and beaus that Shannon lead before the war. When she meets Matthew Dubois, she instantly takes a disliking to him since he hasn't chosen a side with the war. But, Shannon and Matthew soon learn to depend on one another when his sister comes to town ill and Shannon offers to be a nurse for her.

While not incredibly unpredictable, this is a great story of love, judging someone from your first impression, and learning that God really does have our best interest at heart even though that road might be painful at times and takes us out of our comfort zone.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a well written Christian story with sound morals and a good message. I appreciated that the author shares what she went through herself during the writing of the story, which helped bring the book to life. I hope there will be a sequel!

The House on the Corner

This novel begins with a young boy names Chester who is unwittingly sent on an adventure. Things start out in a normal fashion, with the young Chester spending a boring Saturday trying to keep from cleaning the hall bathroom, his least favorite job of all that is reserved for when he looks bored.
So, Chester is excited when his mother sends him on an errand to his uncle's house just down the road. Once there, Chester is swept into an adventure beyond his wildest imagination, one filled with sea creatures, mind control, code names, and interesting characters. Even though Chester doesn't travel to a mythical place or dream up the whole story, this book reminded me of the Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland. Its a bit dis-jointed and random, kind of like a book version of Napoleon Dynamite. I didn't particularly care for the story, though the ending was a lot better than I thought it would be, but I can see that a teen would enjoy the story. I would recommend it if you like random tales, but not if you are looking for a futuristic style novel that deals with a controlling society, since this would not qualify as that sort of genre.
I can see this author perhaps being one to watch once his stories are a bit more focused, since I think this story has potential.

Reviewed for Book Sneeze.

Then Sings My Soul, book 3

Then Sings My Soul book three by Robert J. Morgan is the final book in the hymn trilogy. Having not read the previous two, I cannot compare this one to the former two. For the most part, the book can stand alone (outside of the occasional comment to look for the rest of the story in one of the other two) and is a excellent weekend read. I didn't think it would be a good book to read through, but I found I was wrong, since it starts out as an overview of the history of hymns, going from Biblical hymns through Contemporary Christian.
From there, the author goes through some of the history of different hymns through the ages. As a pianist, I like that the music to the hymns is included with the background on it. It was nice to not have to go find a hymnal and look up a hymn.:D
There is also six stories that the author considers his favorites, which I enjoyed immensely.
I think this book is perfect for pretty much any bookcase! It would be helpful for musicians, members, and the general public who would like to have a place to go for background on well loved hymns.

Reviewed for Book Sneeze.